


A Party Dress

by ManiLea



Category: Sylvanian Families (Toys)
Genre: Boutique, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-21 00:16:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11932329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManiLea/pseuds/ManiLea
Summary: Abigail Hedgehog's party dress is old and she is set on having a new one, specifically from the Teak Boutique. Her mother Eleanor isn't so keen on Cecilia's fashion.





	1. The School Disco

Abigail Hedgehog massaged almond oil into her soft black spines and sprayed herself with her mother's sage perfume. She stood on the toilet to admire herself in the bathroom mirror. But something was wrong with one of the sleeves of her white crochet frock. She lifted her arm – there was a huge hole! One of the threads had frayed through. It was getting a bit old, after all. She had worn it to at least two birthday parties, the summer fête and the previous years' school disco. No doubt many of the girls would be wearing new dresses that evening.

Abigail showed the hole to her mother, Eleanor. “I think I need a new party dress.”

“Oh, no. I can mend that in a few minutes.”

Abigail changed again and gave the dress to her mother. Eleanor stitched the frayed ends together with a delicate needle and strong thread. It looked as though there had never been a hole. Abigail put on the dress, feeling quite disappointed.

“Are you ready yet?” said her brother, Maxwell, wiggling the door handle up and down. He looked smart in his red checked shirt and shiny black shoes.

At the Country Tree School, the desks and chairs had been cleared, and pink and yellow lights were streaming across the room. In one corner Cedric Walnut Squirrel was serving hot dogs and fizzy drinks. Toby Silk Cat was in the middle of the dance floor, showing off his moves to the other children.

Abigail went to say hello to Saffron Walnut Squirrel and Rebecca Milk Rabbit. They looked wonderful: Saffron's dress was printed with big sunflowers and Rebecca wore a tiara around her ears. Toby looked great too, in a pair of black dungarees fastened with silver buttons.

The head teacher, Mr Bear, stepped onto the stage with a microphone. “It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the school disco!”

Abigail didn't hear the rest of his speech. The Tuxedo Cat girls had just arrived with their cousin, Nora Persian Cat. Lily and Rose Tuxedo were wearing matching satin gowns with lacy sleeves and white netting over the skirts. Lily was in violet; Rose was in fuschia. Nora's gown was apple green, and the skirt was pulled up on one side and fixed with a gold brooch, creating diagonal folds across the front. The material at the neckline was in loose folds too and it wrapped around Nora's upper arms like a shawl.

“I want my new dress to be like that,” whispered Abigail to herself.

Saffron and Abigail went to get food and drinks from Cedric's stall. Lily and Rose queued up behind them.

“You dresses are beautiful,” said Abigail.

“Thank you. Yours is quite sweet,” said Rose, smoothing out her netting.

An elbow went into Abigail's side. “Ouch!”

It was Ralph Walnut Squirrel. He and Toby were jostling each other in the queue.

“Sorry!” said Ralph and gave Toby a shove.

“Our Aunt Cecilia makes them. She is the best designer and seamstress in Sylvania,” said Lily.

“That's why Nora has such a lovely dress,” said Abigail enviously.

The girls reached the front of the queue. Mr Walnut handed Abigail her hot dog and drink, and she turned around – smack! She bumped into Ralph, squashing the hot dog between them. There was a big smear of mustard down the front of her white frock.

“Ralph! Move away when you have your snacks!” called Mr Walnut. Ralph scampered off to the dance floor.

“Oh, poor you!” exclaimed Lily.

“Nah, it's okay. It's an old dress.” Abigail secretly thought it was a stroke of luck. Her mother would have to get her a new dress now and she would ask for one like Nora's.

“We match now.” Saffron giggled. “Come on, I'll help you clean up.”

They went to the bathroom and wiped the mustard off with tissues. Nothing could be done about the yellow stain it left behind. Saffron lent Abigail a cardigan to cover it up.

Eleanor was not pleased about the stain on Abigail's dress. “You have to be more careful!”

“It wasn't my fault!” 

It didn't seem like a good idea to ask for a new dress straight away. Abigail decided she had to get into her mother's good books. She got up early the next morning to help her mother out at the bakery. They walked down the high street as all the shops were setting up for a busy Saturday. Abigail spotted the Teak Boutique. A pretty white cat was at the window, dressing up a mannequin with pearly beads and a broad sun-hat.

“That's Cecilia Persian Cat,” said Abigail. “Mum, look at those! Don't you think her dresses are beautiful?”

Eleanor didn't even glance at the shop. “That flouncy stuff isn't for us, Abi. Don't worry, I'll make you a new dress out of my old gingham. I've got some big butterfly prints that I can sow onto it. It'll be lovely.”

“It'll be ugly,” said Abigail sulkily. “I want one like Nora's.”

“I said no, Abigail! I'm not having you dress like those snobby cats!”

Eleanor made the dough while Abigail formed the buns and lined them up on a tray. As she flattened out the dough balls, Abigail daydreamed about dresses. Perhaps she could design her own: a satin underskirt draped in a light semi-transparent fabric, a sleeve on one side only and small jewels running diagonally across the bodice. No matter what her mum said, she was determined to have a beautiful dress. She would make it herself if she had to. 

As soon as they got home to the caravan, Abigail dug her sketchbook out from underneath her mattress and started to draw.


	2. Boutique Break-in

It was some weeks before another party was announced. The invitation came from Fraiser Chocolate Rabbit, who had recently opened a sweet shop and wanted all the children to sample the confectionery. It sounded like an inconsequential shop opening, but Fraiser's parties were the best. No doubt there would be a feast of sweets spread across every table and counter, balloons and curious sculptures, and the best dance hits booming from an enormous speaker.

Abigail helped her mother to sew the butterflies onto the old gingham dress. Her stitching became neater with practise and she even learnt how to use the sewing machine. Other evenings were spent helping her father with the pizza delivery and she quickly gained a few handfuls of pocket money.

A week before the party, Abigail told her mother that she was going to see Saffron Walnut Squirrel. However, as soon as she was out of sight of the caravan, she headed the other way, towards the high street. 

Cecilia Persian Cat was sweeping the floor of the Teak Boutique, ready to close for the evening. Abigail waited around the side of the shop. While Cecilia came outside to empty her dustpan, Abigail crept in through the open door and hid in a rack of dresses. Cecilia drew down the blinds, locked the door and went home.

Behind the counter was a huge closet full of rolls of fabric. Abigail pulled out a roll of lime green material, which was almost as tall as her, as well as a white satin one with intricate green and pink designs. She emptied her pockets of her pocket money and left them by the cash register in two heaps. She did not know how much she owed Cecilia.

Using the skills she had learnt from her mother, Abigail cut out two panels for the top of the dress and sewed them together using a machine. She turned it inside out and held it out in front of her. The panels were somehow not lined up properly! It was not good enough. Abigail threw it onto the floor. She would have to start all over again and it was already getting late.

There were voices outside the shop, then a key turned in the lock. Abigail ducked behind the counter.

“Hello? Hello?” It was a male voice. “Who's there?”

Soft footsteps came towards Abigail, and Cecilia's head appeared over the counter. Both of them jumped a little. Abigail curled up on the floor in shame.

Another Persian Cat came to have a look at her. Abigail guessed he was Cecilia's husband.

“Goodness me!”

Abigail started to cry. “I'm sorry! I'm not a thief – look, I left the money. I just wanted a dress like the ones you make and my mother wouldn't let me have one. I tried to make it and it all went wrong.”

“Oh dear,” said Cecilia. She picked up the misshapen top piece and looked it up and down. “You are in a pickle.”

“Someone said they saw lights on in the shop and we thought there might be a burglary. But it's just a little hedgehog.” Mr Persian Cat smiled kindly.

“Take your money, dear,” said Cecilia, scooping up the coins and pouring them into Abigail's paws. “There's nothing to pay for. Let's get you home.”

“Did I bring you up to break into shops?” cried Eleanor, when the Persian Cats had driven away. “You've embarrassed yourself and me. I told you that those cats look down on us and you've given them even more of a reason to do so.”

“No, they were nice,” muttered Abigail.

“You're not going to the sweet shop opening next week. Besides, that dress we made together clearly isn't good enough for you...”

Abigail argued and sulked, but Eleanor had made up her mind. There was to be no dress and no party.

The other children chatted about the party all week, but Abigail kept her head down. Maxwell promised to bring her back some sweets. It was nice of him, but the sweets on their own weren't half as exciting as the party. On the day of the party Abi sat at the table and looked at her sketchbook with her head in her paws.

Someone was at the door. Abigail thought Saffron might have forgotten that she couldn't come. Her dad, Mortimer opened it and Cecilia swept in. In her arms were a few small dresses on hangers.

“Oh, hello,” said Mortimer gruffly.

“I just wanted to say,” said Cecilia, looking between Eleanor and Abigail. “I'm not cross about the other day. My niece, Lily, told me that Abi wasn't going to the party tonight, and – well, I just wanted to make sure.” 

She laid the dresses out on the sofa. Abigail gasped. One of them was the dress Nora had worn to the school disco.

“I was clearing out last season's stock and I came across these. They're in wonderful condition and it would be a shame to waste them. Perhaps Abigail could have one?”

Abigail looked at her mother.

“Go on, then,” said Eleanor.

“Thank you so much!” said Abigail, taking the green satin dress.

Cecilia's eyes fell on Abigail's sketchbook. She leafed through a few pages. “Did you draw all of these? They're very good. I can show you how to make some of these pieces if you like.”

“I'd love that,” said Abigail, glowing.

“Come to the boutique on Monday after school.”

When Cecilia was gone, Eleanor said, “That was very kind of her.”

“See! She's nice.”

“Yes. You were right. I shouldn't have called her snobby and all those other things.”

Abigail folded her new dress and stored it under her bed.

“What are you doing with that?” said Eleanor. “Get dressed, and off you go to the party!”

Abigail arrived late to the sweet shop opening in her apple-green dress. Nora Persian Cat and the Tuxedo Cat girls were there in brand new dresses.

“I hope you don't mind me copying your dress,” she said to Nora.

“No, it really suits you – it looks better on you than on me!”


End file.
